Chief year: pros/cons?

I don't hink that we have a "chief year" here....can someone explain what it is so that I can wish we were in the US even more than now...???
Here they all vote on a chief in the 5th year of ortho anyway...there are 3 in the program so they all take a turn. Nothing exciting

[SuzySunshine]

Cheif year depends on the program and the specialty. Here all residents in DH's program will be "chief" for at least six months, most for 12. There are two chiefs at a time, one is administrative (in charge of all schedules, etc,). They take turn taking cheif call and have a chief junior (PGY-2) that works with them for three months at a time. I can tell you as a cheif here the resident is NEVER home, I will be taking that time to travel and see a lot of friends. 8)

We have a friend that just finished his chief year in ortho - his was completely voluntary, he applied for it and got it. It wasn't required but was seen as a stepping stone to a more difficult fellowship.

Those are the only two experieinces I have with it.

[migirl]

We have two friends from DH's med school who both did a chief year in IM. I know nothing about the pay (although my guess is that it would be like a PGY-4 level?), but I gather that the primary reason for doing it is to build up the doc's CV. In both instances, it sounds like the duties were mainly administrative so the hours weren't too awful.

That's all I know about it.

[houseelf]

Chief year is not optional here.

I can tell you a con: The buck stops with the Chief. They are ultimately responsible for the service and if your spouse is a typical physician, Chief Year could suck. (Of course, I think that all the training, save the lab years suck).

Kelly

Chief year in Internal Medicine? There was a question about this a while back and basically how chief year is handled varies by specialty (is it an extra year, built in, one person does it or senior residents takes turns, etc).

My DH's IM program selected a handful of chiefs. I think there were 4 who were asked so it wasn't something the resident necessarily "chooses" to do. For IM from what I've heard and how it was handled a few years ago -- some places pay the chief as a PGY-4 (just another year resident pay increase) and some pay a higher salary but typically not that of an attending. I don't think it would help get a better salary down the road. Would likely help in getting a fellowship and looks good on a CV. Just my two cents.

[DCJenn]

Everyone we know who did it was a bitter shell of their former selves by the end of the year. Way, way, way too much politics and not nearly enough doctoring.

Jenn

(PS-that was in peds.)

I don't think I've run into anyone who is all warm and fuzzy about the chief year. It's, uh, not DH's favorite part of this year. (At his derm program, chief duties are done in the last year of residency, not an extra year).
I think the peds chief year is like IM and would agree with what Jenn said. The tricky thing is that it can be hard to turn down this "honor" from the PD or dept chair (for residencies or specialties where someone is selected that way).

In DH's chief year he would often make comments to the effect of: "I feel like the bitterness of this year is eating away the person I used to be. I don't know if any of the old me exists anywhere anymore." Yea, it was pretty bad. :|

But then he took a 6-month 'vacation' from medicine when he finished training and we found the fun guy in him again. But he had another adjustment period when he started attending. 6 years later I think he's okay. I'll have to ask him about that. Oh wait, he's busy doing lines of heroin at the moment. j/k. (do you do lines of heroin? or is it cocaine? I flunked drugs and behavior in college)

Jodi